Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka on Sunday said that there has been a demand within the BJP to declare C P Yogeshwara as the NDA candidate for the Channapatna bypoll. His statement comes days after Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy stated that there was immense pressure on the JD(S) leadership to field his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy for the same seat.
However, Ashoka said that the Karnataka BJP would abide by the decision of the party’s central leadership. Ashoka said that leaders in the Karnataka BJP had made their case for fielding Yogeshwara to both the party’s central leadership, and Kumaraswamy. “Both of them have heard us patiently, but they are yet to make a final decision,” Ashoka added.
Ashoka said that, regardless of the candidate’s party affiliation, workers of both BJP and JD(S) were determined to ensure a victory for the NDA in the Channapatna bypoll. He said that the candidate would be finalised only after the Election Commission announces the schedule for the byelections.